Ayoze Perez opened the scoring, a confident Newcastle United over-powered over-awed opponents and St James’ Park went home happy.

Some 91 days have passed since Newcastle’s final, triumphant Championship flourish and this low-key homecoming against an under-cooked Hellas Verona but the summer of change we anticipated must be lost in the post. Five signings have arrived but the big, game-changing moment we anticipated after promotion – a signing or statement of intent from an owner who had promised Rafa Benitez “every single penny” that flowed the Championship title win – has not arrived.

It has created problems on Tyneside. Given Benitez’s ambitions, the whispers of discontent have grown louder and were reheated in yesterday’s papers after further frustration in Newcastle’s bid to find the striker cover they are desperately searching for. For all that nothing’s changed, it feels like something has on Tyneside. Yesterday saw the quiet determination and discipline that Benitez has spotted in training this summer play out at St James’ Park.

No one will be getting carried out. Newcastle will be lucky to play against teams in the Premier League who are as weak as Fabio Pecchia’s injury-hit Verona. United’s 2-0 win was achieved in confident fashion but it hardly masked the need for Lee Charnley – watching on in St James’ Park – to pull a rabbit from the hat and supply Rafa Benitez with two or three signings who can upgrade a squad which feels very familiar to the one which won the second tier.

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But the mood among the players is far from the discontent and disenchantment that soured the chemistry of the classes of 2013, 2014 and 2015. Instead, the talk of transformation has charged up existing players who feel they are being written off unfairly by some of the pundits predicting a season of struggle. There is a 2011 feel to this lot: they want to be here and think they’re good enough to be. You can see it in their performances.

It’s no secret Benitez is prepared to wheel and deal with his squad and will cash in on some of the 20 players who featured in this final pre-season examination. But none of last season’s Championship winners want to leave and some of them are determined to prove their point on the pitch. Take Jonjo Shelvey, for example. This summer he has looked physically fitter than at any point in his 18 months at St James’ Park but he also appears more driven, picking up the creativity baton in the midfield engine room in every single one of United’s pre-season fixtures.

Ayoze Perez of Newcastle United (second from left) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal (Image: Newcastle United)

You could say the same about Matt Ritchie, unlucky not to repeat his Wolfsburg free-kick fireworks in the second half yesterday. There is a skip in his step that suggests he is ready to return to the league he looked comfortable in for Bournemouth’s over-achievers.

Isaac Hayden is another; his crunching first-half challenge on Verona’s playmaker Daniel Bessa set the tone for a game Newcastle dominated. His message to Benitez, who signed Mikel Merino to inspire further improvement in the ex-Arsenal man, was clear: look no further if you want someone to throw a defensive blanket over Tottenham’s creators.

Perez’s early goal was a pleasing reminder of his ability and Christian Atsu has picked up from where he left off at the end of last season: a turbo-charged threat ready to run at defences. With summer signing Jacob Murphy ready to apply pressure, that form will need to be sustained.

Untested though they were, the back four – five if you include Rob Elliot – will surely be the one tasked with keeping out Spurs next week. Given Florian Lejeune’s composure, few could argue that Newcastle haven’t upgraded slightly there.

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Newcastle’s victory never looked in doubt from the moment Perez tapped home the opener. Within 12 minutes it was two, Christian Atsu rifling past Nicholas after brushing off a challenge in the penalty area. Verona complained Newcastle’s approach was too physical but Benitez did not seem to mind too much. It is the sort of commitment and concentration he will require from his team when they face one of the Premier League’s best sides this weekend.

That the manager looked and sounded in better spirits will be as much to do with the looming Premier League kick-off as it is to do with optimism that he might, finally, get the striker he has been chasing all summer. Benitez lives for football and even if there is trepidation on Tyneside at what may be coming, he will be relishing the chance to find solutions to a new set of footballing problems.

Whatever is going on behind the scenes, he likes this Newcastle group – who hang on his every word and are prepared to put in the hard yards to improve themselves. For all that there remain recruitment issues to solve – they finished the game with no recognised striker – having the right mentality is a big part of the battle.

Newcastle certainly have that. It gives them half a chance now that the serious stuff is upon us.